The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-09-10
FOR THE UNIvERsALIsT.
A FORTNIGHT AMONG THE
IRISH.
BY MRS. CAROLINE A. soULE.

The country charms me. Ireland is in
deed lovely land. Nowhere is grass
greener, or roses larger, or foliage more
luxuriant. The views here are very ex-
tensive and wonderfully beautiful. In
the distance are mountains, piled up Gu
riously one beyond the other, a rich pur-
pie light resting softly on them. Never
are hillsides cultivated with what it seems
to me is tender, loving care. And as
view the small fields, of every possible
shape, and showing SO many varied hues,
l am reminded by a strange association of
ideas of the "crazy quilt" I have left
locked up in bureau at "Content," for
like nothing else are these hillsides IS
they lie sleeping in the golden sunshine
And the air-the medicine I have come
for it is so sweet, squire, SO strong that
it is really bliss to inhale it. [ draw long
breaths, and between the bliss of breath
ing and the glory of the landscape, [
grow strangely rested, quiet, happy, and
find it impossible to realize that am on
the very island where at this very hour
men, women and children are pitilessly
evicted from their cabins. But strangely
near, in this world, are heaven and hell.
Irish miles are very long. The nine miles
between Derry and ALA seemed at least
fourteen, pleasant as was the drive. We
stopped once at country grocery, owned
ol1 ofo o. M No pc Tho
house and shop were under one roof; and
here / saw the first cluster-climbing
white rose bush that ever greeted my eyes
and such lovely garden, too. Mr.. N
asked for the young lady. She came out;
the daughter of the house, and saw the
fairest, the loveliest, Tin difference to my
young friends in America, must say one,
of the y creatures that ever dazzled my WIS.,
ion. Such purity of complexion, such
delicate rose-tints on the cheeks, such a
mass Of rich, hossy, golden hair, such II
sweet expression-ah me-if had been
young man should have felt that here
I had found my fate. And her accent
was perfectly pure, such English as we
rarely hear. She gave me cordial greet
ing to Ireland, and at once set about and
gathered me boquet of roses and gera-
NUNS, the like of which 1 have never
seen outside OF Pasadena. AT another
shop, when the owner learned that Mr.. n
had an American lady with him, he
sent out bag Of fancy biscuits with his
compliments, and an invitation too, to
come in and take a glass OF wine or whis-
ky. 1 accepted the first, but declined the
latter, although the refusal to take wine
or whisky here with your host or hostess
is looked upon almost as an insult.
Learning from the talk of Mr.. N-that
we were nearing our destination, began
to wonder what kind Of place was go
ing to. Would the "midden" be at the front |
door. was not little anxious on this |
point, for while can stand any amount |
of disorder, 1 cannot endure dirt.
saw in the distance, after what he |
said was our last turning, group of trees
and did hope our cabin was there, and
there it was; long, one-story building, |
part of it matched, and part slated. To
my almost delirious joy, the front yard
was fenced in by hedge OF wax berries,
the little delicate blossoms already open
ing. The path to the front door, quite
long one too, was bordered with goose
berry bushes, and the whole front yard
filled with them and currants, mingled
with tall orange lilies and lovely damssk
roses. The front of the cabin was one
mass of lovely foliage, the fuschia, which
in this climate lives out all winter, COM
pletely mantling the engle walls. The
door was low, so low that it was not until
my head was sore from frequent bumps,
that l learned to bow gracefully before
crossed the threshold !,